A New World
by Quicksilver19
Summary: The battle is over... Voldemort has won... Hermoine's a slave. Oliver Wood is fighting with the resistance. Can he save her from Malfoy?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: 

"Wake up, you lazy little brat!" 

Hermoine opened her eyes. She was having an amazing dream. Now it was gone. All that was left was a hard cement ceiling. She got up and quickly splashed water onto her face. 

"Let's go!" Mrs. Hollow, the housekeeper, shrieked. 

Hermoine followed her up stone steps until they came to the kitchens. 

"Eat," snapped Mrs. Hollow. "Quickly." 

Hermoine gobbled down the bowl of porridge. She was so sick of it but she had no choice in the matter. 

"You'll start in the study today," Mrs. Hollow said roughly, disappearing. 

Hermoine sighed and picked up the bucket of cleaning supplies and trudging up stairs towards the study. It was empty, thank god. She started dusting the wooden bookcases. 

Four hours later, as she was polishing the large oak desk, Draco Malfoy entered the room. He watched the girl polish his desk and smirked. "Almost done, slave?" He asked, walking slowly towards the desk. He sat down in the chair and putting his muddy boots onto the desk surface. She flinched and he laughed. "Not so big now without your two bodyguards, are you? Whatever happened to them? Oh, yes, they're dead. I killed them…" He laughed again, a horrible laugh.  

She gulped, biting her lip to stop from crying. 

"But you're still here…" Holding his riding crop out, he lifted her chin with the end. "Aren't you Granger?" 

She swallowed hard. "Yes, sir." She wanted to hit him, to knock him down, kick, punch, and hit him until he was bloody, bruised, and broken. But she couldn't. She'd be killed for even touching him without his consent. 

"What happened to the strong, out-spoken girl I remember that would put me down without a second thought?" he asked with a smirk. 

Before he could say anything else, a man came in, pulling off his cloak and dropping it onto the chair in front of Draco's desk. He glared at Hermoine then started to speak. "Malfoy. We must do something about these renegades that continue to pester us," he growled. "Watch." He pointed his wand at the wall and a person appeared in a screen-like picture and started to talk to Draco.  

Hermoine backed up against the wall in order to avoid being noticed. 

The reporter started to speak, "It's chaos here in London, as a group of resistance fighters against the great and powerful Voldemort have broken into the home of Severus Snape, the second in command to Voldemort himself, and are freeing slaves. One of the fighters has been identified as Oliver Wood, one of the more prominent and out-spoken members of the resistance against Voldemort." As he spoke, the screen changed to a scene of Snape's home, one wall blown away, and men and women pouring in over the rubble. At the mention of Oliver Wood, the screen froze and zoomed in on one of the men's heads, clearly the same Oliver Wood that had attended Hogwarts. 

Hermoine gasped by neither man seemed to notice.

The scene moved ahead in time and now the renegades were helping people escape. They would come out in bunches and then a group would take hold of one of the resistance fighters and they would Disparate. 

"We don't know where they go, sir. It's a very large mystery. They've been hitting higher-ups all this month. Make sure to take precautions, our spies say that you may be next," the person said, then the screen disappeared. 

The man turned to Draco. "Now you understand why Voldemort wants this man brought in. In the past month, he's engineered more than fifteen raids and they've always gotten away clean." He slammed a hand down on the desk. "Pay attention, Draco! If your father was alive-"

Draco took his feet off the desk and leaned forward, eyes narrowed. "If my father was alive, I wouldn't be in this position, Mr. Murdock. Now, get out of my office." 

"But the spies say you are next-" the man began again. 

"And I'll be ready. Get out or I will have you thrown out!" he bellowed. 

"Yes, sir." The man left without another word. 

There was a silence and Hermoine stayed where she was, wondering if Draco even noticed her still there. She started polishing the bookcases behind her, just in case. 

"Where do you think Wood is taking these people, Granger?" he suddenly asked, turning to her. "You were always the smart one in school. Answer me that." 

She kept her eyes down as she moved back towards his desk to finish polishing it and did not reply, keeping her face carefully blank. Her mind was racing. Oliver was coming here. To rescue slaves. She would be rescued… 

"Answer me!" he yelled. 

"I don't know." 

"Take a wild guess," he drawled. "You must know something. Always studying. Never hanging out with people other than Potter and Weasley." As she came nearer to him, he trailed a finger down her arm. "Always in the library with those big dusty books, that bushy hair and buck teeth. I don't blame you for hiding away. But now, now you're a beautiful girl…" He pulled her towards him. "Just take a guess." 

She resisted the urge to yank her arm away. "Somewhere safe and unplottable. Somewhere you'd never suspect. Somewhere warm and dry for some many people." 

"Too bad you're a Mudblood, Granger. You would have done well on Voldemort's staff." He caressed her hip with a finger. 

"I have a lot of work to do. Good afternoon, Mr. Malfoy." She pulled away and walked quickly from the room. 

Draco smirked as the door swung shut. He'd have her. Someday. Someday, she'd be his. He turned back to his desk. There was a lot to do if they were going to capture Oliver Wood and stop the attack on Malfoy Manor. 


	2. Chapter 2

_"Hermione! Run!" _

_The lights in the Burrow flickered. She saw shadowy forms running back and forth. She saw Harry throw open the front door and step defiantly out into the open. _

_"Voldemort!" he bellowed, the door swinging shot behind him. _

_"Hermione!" Ron yelled running towards her and pulling her down. The air sizzled and crackled, the windows smashing in. _

_"Harry!" Hermione screamed, trying to get up and go out after him. _

_Ron pulled her back down. "Don't be stupid. Your death isn't going to help anything." But she could see tears in his eyes too. "Come on. We have to get away." _

_"But your mom, you dad… Percy?" _

_"Dead," he replied flatly. _

_"Oh, Ron, I'm sorry." _

_"Let's go." He grabbed her hand and they ran towards the back of the house. _

_"Weasley!" _

_"Oh, no…" Hermione gasped. _

_"They turned around and saw a tall dark form framed in the doorway. It was a wizard in black robes with a Death Eater Mask. _

_"You," Ron growled. _

_The man removed the mask, throwing it to the side. "Me," Draco replied, smirking. His eyes travelled over Hermione. "You I might let live." Ron moved protectively in front of her and Draco's eyes hardened. "You, I will kill. Slowly and very painfully." _

_Ron set his jaw. "You killed my family, my friends, and ruined my life!" he yelled, running towards the Death Eater. "I'll kill you!"_

_Draco raised his wand, still smiling. "Crucio." _

_Ron jerked and fell to the ground, writhing in pain. _

_"Stop it!" Hermione screamed. She raised her wand but Draco flicked his want at her. _

_"Expelliarmus!" As he caught her wand he said, pointing his wand at her. "Stupefy!" And she flew across the room, hitting her head on a bookshelf and everything went dark, Ron's screams echoing in her mind. _

She woke up, gasping. It had felt so real. The explosions, the smoke, the screaming… She blinked. It was real. She could hear explosions and screaming. She could smell smoke. And there was someone at the door. She could hear voices. 

"Stand back," someone called, then yelled, "Diffendo!" and the door blasted open. 

"You two move on. I'll check here. Quick now. They'll be sending the dementors over soon and I don't want anyone caught." 

"Yes sir." Two sets of footsteps left and the third person entered cautiously. "Anyone here?" 

She got out of the bed and stood in the middle of the room, her mind abuzz. That voice…

"Hel- oh, there you are." He appeared in front of her from the smoke, looking almost the same as when she'd last seen him at the Quidditch World Cup. His eyes were slightly more shadowed and hard, he'd gained more muscle and in the dark, close-fitting clothing he looked like someone you did not want to meet in a dark alley. "Oliver…" 

He looked at her, confused. Moving closer, he put a hand under her chin and lifted her face. His eyebrows came together as he studied her. After a few minutes, his face relaxed into a soft smile. "Hermione Granger. I haven't seen you since the Quidditch World Cup. People think you're dead, you know." 

She bit her lip to keep from crying. Memories from that day a long time ago flooded through her and she wanted to cry. Ron… Harry… 

"Hey, hey… what's wrong?" he asked, moving towards her. "Hermione…" 

"I'm fine," she sniffed. "I'm fine. Let's go." 

He slid his arms around her and pulled her against his chest, hugging her tightly. "Shh… shh… let it out. It's okay." 

She clung to him and tears leaked out of her eyes. 

After a few minutes, he pulled back and looked her in the face. "Don't worry, we'll get you out of here. Then we'll get back at Voldemort for killing them. Come on. Grab your stuff. We have to leave quickly." 

"I don't have anything left…" 

"Even better. Come on." He took her hand and they started down the hall. 

When they got to the blown out wall, meeting up with the other members of the resistance fighters, Oliver pulled out a wand from one of their packs. "Here," he said, handing to her. "Just in case. I know it's not yours but it'll work fine." 

Another man ran towards him as the group of freed slaves and resistance members started out into the side field to allow room to take hold of the portkeys. "Sir, Malfoy got away. He disapparated before we could get to him. And the dementors are coming. We have to get out of here." 

"Alright, get going. You know the drill," he called to the rest. "Everyone have a portkey? Get a group and get out of here!" He started across the lawn, making sure there was no one left behind. 

Hermione looked around and an idea came to her. "Oliver! What if I stayed?" 

He whirled around. "What? I'm not leaving you here." 

She shook her head. "No, if I stay and watch and listen for you. Malfoy's well-placed with Voldemorts networks and he likes me. It would really help you, and the resistance. I want to help."

He opened his mouth to object but shut it again as he spotted the Dementors coming across the grounds. He clenched his jaw in frustration. He didn't want to leave her here for that bastard to have but it would help the resistance. His eyes flickered from her to the Dementors and back again. She could handle herself. She was courageous and smart… He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Fine. I'm coming back for you personally though. Send me an owl when you find things." He ran towards her, wrapped an arm around her, pulling her tightly against him. He gave her a short, hard kiss then moved back a few paces. "For luck," he said with a quick grin. "Now get back inside." He disapparated.

She turned and ran. Only when she got back into her room (saying reparo to repair her door to its original state), did she stop, leaning against the door and press her fingers against her tingling lips. The memory of Oliver's breath on her face, his hand on the small of her back, his dark eyes boring into her own, was permanently etched into her mind. She heard booted feet coming down the hall and threw herself on the bed, tucking the wand into her sock. Just in time, it seemed, because a servant turned the corner and opened her door. 

"Sir!" he called. We've found another." He grabbed her roughly by the arm and threw her into the hallway. "They didn't get Granger." 

Malfoy's eyes brightened when they came to rest on her. "Excellent. We're moving tonight. To my father's summer house in Dover. Get packed."  


	3. Chapter 3

Hermoine raced up the stairs to the owlery. She only had minutes to spare before she was missed. She went to the nearest owl and quickly tied the note to it and took it to the window. "Oliver Wood," she whispered to it and let it go. She watched it fly until it was a tiny speck on the horizon and sighed. It had been three months since the night of the raid when she'd become a spy. Three months and she'd been sending him everything she heard, every rumour, everything of importance. Three months and she hadn't stopped thinking of him. The kiss had wrecked her. She had to work very hard to keep her happiness from Malfoy. Oliver was her link to sanity, her joy every time she found a note hidden in the straw of the owlery. 

"Sending an owl?" 

She jumped. "No," she replied, spinning around to face Malfoy. "Who would I send an owl to?" 

He shrugged lazily. "That's what I'd like to know." He came towards her. "Who would you be sending an owl to?" he purred, looking her up and down. "Who indeed." 

She backed up against a nest. 

His hands came up to rest on either side of her, blocking her in. "You're very beautiful when you're scared," he remarked with a smirk. He bent his head towards her. 

She brought her hands up. "I thought you hated mudbloods. I thought you despised us." She pushed against him to no avail. 

"I do," he replied before he kissed her. 

Hermione woke with a start. Another violent nightmare, but this time about Oliver. She looked over at Draco snoring softly beside her. She couldn't stop him when he swept her off to his room. Halfway there she'd come up with a plan. She could spy on Malfoy much easier if she had access to his room. Namely now. She slid from the bed and pulled her clothes on, feeling very dirty. She'd have to create a sleeping draught to give him so he would fall asleep. She didn't not care to repeat tonight. 

She moved to his desk, pulling open the top drawer. She rummaged through parchments and scrolls for a long time, until daylight crept in through the windows, copying and replacing them where she'd found them. She crept from his room and ran quickly up to the owlery. Tying the package to an owl, she let him out, whispering Oliver's name to him. Then she ran back to her own room. 

For the next few days, she avoided Malfoy, as hard as it was, while trying to find the ingredients to make a sleeping draught. She knew that it would not be long before he called her to his chambers again. She was right. The next day, as she was coming down from the owlery, Oliver's letter clutched in her hand, Mrs. Hollow yelled from the bottom of the stairs as she came up, 

"Mr. Malfoy commands your presence in his chambers. Bring this along." She shoved a tray into Hermione's arms and walked away. 

She turned and made her way to Malfoy's chambers, stopping off quickly at her own to pick up the vial of makeshift sleeping draught, which she hoped would work. 

When she arrived, he was sitting at his desk, scribbling furiously. He barely looked at her. After a few minutes, he finished, giving the letter to a servant, who rushed by her, closing the door behind him and leaving Hermione alone with Malfoy. 

He waved her in. "Come here. I'm famished." 

She started forward, wishing she'd been able to catch a glance at the letter. Then, with a start that rattled the tray, she realized that Oliver's letter was still in her hand under the tray. She put down the tray then slipped her hands behind her back. 

He stood up, picking up two goblets, and came towards her. She backed up until her knees hit the bed and she sat down quickly. 

He sat down beside her, handing her a goblet and kissing her. She pulled out the vial, slipping the letter from Oliver into her pocket. As he started to kiss her neck, she slipped the draught into his glass. 

"Draco," she said, pushing him back a bit. "Let's drink to the cause."

He smiled. "You're finally thinking straight, my dear." He picked up his goblet and drank all of it in one gulp. 

She sipped her drink, hiding a smile in it. 

"Now where were we?" he said, with a smirk and moved towards her. He kissed her, hard and insistent. He pushed her down onto the bed and started undoing the buttons of her shirt. At the third button, he fell to the bed on his side and started snoring softly. 

She sighed. Thank god. Stripping him down to his boxers, she placed him into the bed, then went quickly over to the desk. Pulling the wand from her boot, she waved it over the parchment. Writing started appearing and she grabbed the parchment, running up to the owlery to send it to Oliver. Then she went back to her room and to sleep. 

She woke to the crunch of glass, feeling very cold. She opened her eyes to see the curtains blowing in the wind of the broken window. Her heartbeat sped up. Someone was in her room. She sat up, pulling the covers to her chest. "H-hello? Who's there?" For a single, panicked moment, she thought it was Malfoy. That the sleeping draught hadn't worked and he knew she was spying on him. A familiar shape moved into the moonlight and she caught the flash of teeth as he grinned at her. 

"Oliver! What are you doing here?" she whispered furiously. "It isn't safe!" 

"I had to see you." He came towards the bed, pulling off his boots and sliding in beside her. "I was worried about you."

She moved a bit closer and he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her against him comfortably, resting his chin on the top of her head, his hand rubbing comfortingly up and down her arm. 

She could feel his heart beating against her ear, strong and reassuring. 

They sat that way for awhile, just revelling in being with each other. 

Finally, he sighed. "You won't have to be here much longer. We're getting you out of here soon…" 

She pulled away. "What? No, there's more information that I can get!" 

"You're not. I'm taking you away." 

She pulled herself out of his arms. "No. We still have to fight him." 

"We will. Just not like this. Not around him." He reached out to reassure her. 

She shrugged his hand off. "Why not?" 

"Because I don't want you to!" he exploded quietly. "Because I can't handle it when you're here and I can't take care of you! Because I love you!" 

She opened her mouth to say something but then closed it with a snap. "You what?" 

"I love you," he repeated quietly, then leaned in to kiss her. 

She kissed back, allowing him to slide an arm around her to pull her closer. 

His hand slid up the back of her shirt, feeling the smooth skin of her back. 

She reached out, rather timidly, took the edge of his sweater, and slid it off his torso. She ran her hands over his hard muscles. He groaned and took her hands, kissing her again. 

She woke up, feeling him moving from beside her. "Oliver." 

"It'll be light soon. I have to get out of here before then." He leaned in and kissed her. "I love you. I'm going to get you out of here. We have all the information we need." 

She grabbed his hand and pulled him back to kiss him again. "I don't want you to go." 

He kissed her on the forehead, holding her close. "I know. I don't want to leave you here but I have to. If you need me, I'll be in Dover." He kissed her one last time and left, looking back one more time before disappearing out the window. 

Hermione sighed, snuggling back under the covers. She smiled dreamily, thinking of Oliver as she fell asleep. 

Malfoy  frowned, watching Hermione fall asleep. She had guts, he had to admit. Lots of guts. He'd seen her give him the sleeping draught, muttered the counter-curse, and pretended to fall asleep. When she left his room, he'd dressed and followed her. And now as he was watching her sleep, a rage built inside him. How dare she love him and not me! he screamed silently. He wanted to kill Wood. He would kill Wood. Then she would have no choice but to love him. 

He turned and left the room. When he got to his study, he touched the wall with his wand. Crabbe's face came into view. 

"Yes, sir?" he asked. 

"Wood is in Dover. Find him," Malfoy snapped, cutting the link off before Crabbe could reply. He leaned back in his chair. The resistance was growing stronger, thanks to his information, via Granger, but not anymore. Here was his chance to get one of the top members. He would not fail. 

He tapped the top of his desk, and a servant's face appeared. "Get me Granger." 

She was brought to him moments later, thrown into a heap before him. 

"Granger," he said silkily, beckoning her forward. He waved to the servant. "Get out." 

Hermione got up and moved forward hesitantly. 

He got up and circled the desk towards her. 

She licked her lips nervously. "You called for me?"

He nodded, putting a sincere look on his face. "Where did you go Hermione? I woke up and you were gone." 

She gulped. "I went back to my room. I thought you wouldn't want anyone to know that… I was there…with you." She faltered at the end. 

"Did you?" 

"Yes." 

He grabbed her by the arm and threw her across the room, pulling out his wand. "Crucio!" 

She hit the ground, rolling and screaming in pain. 

"Thought you could trick me?" he screamed at her. "You were with him! You were spying on me and sending them your secrets!" 

He stopped and she raised herself unsteadily. 

"Had enough?" he asked. 

"That all?" she replied shakily. 

His eyes flashed and he threw up his wand. "Crucio!" 

She brought up her own wand. "Expelliarmus!" 

He flew backwards and hit the bookshelf behind his desk and she turned and ran. As she came past the servant, he yelled, 

"Hey! You! Stop!" 

She looked back. He was running after her. When she turned back, something came at her and hit her in the face. The world faded into darkness. 


	4. Chapter 4

Draco watched her wake, moving towards the bed and sitting down beside her as she opened her eyes. "Hello, sleepyhead." He patted her hand. "You slept for a long time." 

"How long?" she croaked, sitting up. 

"Three days." He smiled. 

She was confused. Why hadn't he killed her? "I don't understand." 

"I don't blame you. Oliver Wood has been telling you lies to seduce you to the resistance side. But it doesn't matter anymore. He's been caught and is being brought here by the dementors." 

She inhaled sharply. "He's been caught?" 

He smiled. "Yes. Tomorrow. Now go back to sleep. We'll talk more later." He gave her a goblet. "Drink." She didn't want to but was forced to. As she dropped off into sleep, she prayed that Oliver would be okay. 

Malfoy watched her sleep for a long time. He was very angry, of course. No one chose anyone over a Malfoy. He bared his teeth in a mock smile. Well, from the reports Wood had fought and was very beat up. "We shall see," he said softly, leaving the room, locking the door behind him. 

Hermione twisted her hands together nervously. They were about to bring Oliver in. She was standing up in a balcony overlooking the front doors. Malfoy was standing beside her, gripping her waist tightly. 

The doors opened and two dementors entered, dragging a body between them. 

"Stop," Malfoy commanded. "Show me the prisoner." 

They did stop and one dementor grasped the hair of the prisoner and lifted his head. 

Hermione gasped. He was a mess. One eye was swollen shut, he had a large purple bruise on his cheek, his lip was split and swollen, his wand wrist was broken, his clothing ripped and torn, and his ankle looked broken. Nevertheless, he held his head up without help and stared at Malfoy rebelliously. "Milord," he said sarcastically. 

Malfoy raised his wand but Hermione grabbed his arm. 

"No!" she whimpered. "Please don't." 

He lowered his wand. "You're lucky she likes you. But she can't save you tomorrow." 

Oliver's eye flickered to her quickly and she felt warmth flood through her as he held her gaze with his own. Everything was going to be all right. Then Malfoy waved them away and the connection broke. Darkness settled down on her like a heavy weight. She closed her eyes. "I want to go back to my room now." 

He nodded and they started off. When they arrived at her room, he smiled. "I want you to come to the trial." 

"No," she replied, horrified. "I will not." 

"You will," he snarled and shoved her roughly into her room, slamming the door behind her and locking it. 

The trial was held in a giant circular room. She was sitting in the audience that was full of people talking and laughing, a guard on either side of her. Malfoy was sitting on a raised platform at one end of the room along with Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise Zambini, and a few others she didn't recognize. 

A side door and everyone fell silent as Oliver was brought in. He was strapped to a chair in front of the platform. His face was pale and drawn, his forehead sweating. 

"You are charged with treason and rebellion against the all powerful Voldemort. What do you plead?" 

"Guilty," he replied, his voice shaking slightly. "I plead guilty," he added strongly, finding Hermione in the crowd and locking eyes with her. 

Malfoy's lip curled into a sneer. "You're not even going to try to change my mind to let you live?" 

"No." Oliver's gaze on Hermione never wavered. 

"Fine. You are sentenced to die tomorrow at dawn. Take him away!" 

As the dementors took him away, he struggled to keep eye contact with Hermione but as the door clanged shut, she only felt dread. 

Hermione took a deep breath and walked towards the guard. "I would like to see the prisoner, Oliver Wood." 

"I'm sorry Miss, no one is allowed to see the prisoner. Strict orders from the top." 

"Let her in," Malfoy said, coming out of the shadows into the flickering torchlight. 

Both the guard and Hermione jumped. "Sorry Mr. Malfoy. I didn't see you there, sir," the man stuttered, opening the door quickly. "Sorry sir." 

Malfoy flicked his hand and the guard moved quickly to the side. 

Hermione entered the cell, moving towards Oliver's inert form. "Oliver?" she asked quietly, touching his shoulder. 

He jumped and landed on the ground in a crouch then fell over, clutching his ankle, pain written in deep lines over his face. 

"Are you okay?" she exclaimed, dropping to the ground beside him. 

He nodded tightly, slipping his uninjured arm around her. She leaned against him to give him some of her warmth. 

Malfoy moved towards the bars, his eyes narrowed in rage. He gripped the bars tightly. 

Oliver rubbed his hand up and down her back reassuringly. "It'll be okay, I promise." 

She couldn't help it and burst into tears. "They're going to kill you tomorrow," she hiccupped. 

He kissed her on the forehead, smoothing her hair back. "Malfoy," he called. "Fix me. At least let me hold her with uninjured arms and die like a man." 

Malfoy's lip curled. "Why should I?" he asked as Hermione raised her tear-stained face. 

"I promise to be your willing slave after he is gone," she said tightly, biting her lip and wiping her tears away. "I will not run away and I will do whatever you want me to do. Just please do this one thing for me… please…" 

A slow smile grew on his face and he nodded. "Fine. Get back then." She moved away and he raised his wand. Muttering an incantation, he waved it over Oliver, fixing the broken ankle, wrist, bruises and eye. "There. Done." 

Hermione launched herself back into Oliver's arms, looking up at Malfoy. "Thank you." 

"Enjoy it while it lasts," he snapped, spinning on his heel and leaving. "Five minutes," he told the guard as he swept by. 

Oliver held her tightly. He brought his lips to her ear, pretending to kiss her. "Be ready at midnight tonight. The resistance is coming. We're getting out of here." 

"What?" She tried to look him in the face but his held her firmly. "No, don't move. You can't let them see that you know. Just be ready. Okay?" She nodded into his shoulder and he pulled back just long enough to look in her eye before he started kissing her. 

"Let's go, miss. Time's up," the guard called. 

"I love you," he whispered. 

"I love you too," she replied before leaving. 

The guard shut the jail cell with a clang.

"Don't forget!" he called after her as the guard escorted her away.  


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

At a quarter to twelve, she rose and slipped out of bed. The resistance had been bombing for the past half hour. She could hear booted feet running back and forth but dared not call out for fear of it being one of Malfoy's staff. Her door was locked and she'd lost her wand so how was she going to get out? She could hear yells and screams of pain, and almost cried in frustration. Pacing back and forth, she stopped to look out her window at the grounds. They were silent and still. There was a ledge just below her window she could probably jump onto. She was about to pick something up to throw through it when she heard a light knocking on her door. 

"Hermoine?" 

Oliver. 

She raced to the door. "It's locked Oliver. I lost my wand and I can't get out…" She was on the verge of tears. 

"Alright. Stand back." 

She backed up behind the bed as the door flew apart and Oliver Wood stepped into view. She threw herself at him. "Thank goodness you're okay! I was afraid when the bombing started." 

He squeezed her briefly with one arm then let go. "Well, I'm fine now. Let's go. We can get out the front doors…" 

"I thought I was supposed to meet you in the owlery and we were going to get away that way…" she said, looking up at him suspiciously. 

            "Change of plans… I was afraid that Malfoy was going to get to you before I did… I'm lucky I did… we should leave now though…" He took her hand and they started off in the direction of the owlery. They dodged a few troops running through the castle and once Oliver pushed her up against the wall as a group of six dementors came by. His arm tightened around her as she buried her head in his chest and his other hand came down to tilt her head up towards his. His lips came down on hers. His kisses became hard and insistent and she pushed him away. 

            "Oliver, what are you doing?" 

            "Sorry." He glanced up and down the empty corridor. "Let's go." He took her hand and they continued to the owlery. 

            He pushed the door shut and locked it. "There. Now he can't get to you…" 

            She was peering out the window but turned around at the tone of his voice. "What?" 

            He went to the window. "Malfoy. He can't get you if you're in here with me… we're going to escape and get as far away from here as possible…" 

            She nodded. 

            Suddenly, she heard Oliver's voice from behind her, behind the door. "Hermoine! Don't listen to him! He's a fake!" 

            She looked up. Oliver's face was half hidden in shadow and he looked slightly eerie. "What's going on, Oliver?" she asked slowly. "Are you okay?" 

            "I'm fine." 

"Hermoine!" he yelled again as the door shuddered as something hit it. 

She looked over at Oliver who hadn't moved from the window. "Did you just…" 

"Hermoine! It's Malfoy! You're in danger!" 

Her eyes windened and she backed up until her back hit the door. Her hand reached for the latch. 

            Oliver started towards her. "Hermoine, don't open the door…it's Malfoy. He's lying to you so you'll open the door. He's probably got a score of dementors out there… they'll take me away and kill me…" 

            The door shuddered against her back again. Oliver was moving towards her. She didn't know what to do… 

            "Hermoine… don't you trust me?" he asked, stretching out a hand towards her.She put her hand on the doorknob and turned. It was locked. She closed her eyes in dispair, remembering seeing him locking the door. When she opened them, Draco Malfoy was standing in front of her. 

            "Guess I couldn't have kept up the façade for much longer," he said, pulling her away from the door and throwing her into a nest. The owl squawked and she sprang away.  "Almost lost you in that hallway," he continued. "I thought you were going to bolt on me. I just couldn't keep his chivalrous crap up for much longer." He started towards her. 

            She dodged around a few nests. "You can't win, Draco… the resistance is destroying your house around you." 

            He levitated the nests out of the way. "The way I see it, I'm in here with you and Wood is outside… All I have to do is get you and disparate to take you away. He'll never have you and I'll win…" He lunged towards her and she lunged out of the way. His hand was about to close on her arm when a big snowy owl flew up into his face, squawking and snapping at him. 

            "Hedwig!" Hermoine exclaimed, happiness flooding into her face as a tear trickled from the corner of her eye. Harry… Shaking herself mentally, she got herself to the door and flung off the lock. "Oliver!" 

            "Stupefy!"  She fell into a nest and hit her head before finally coming to rest on the floor. She looked up dizzily as Malfoy stood over her. 

            "You lose, Hermoine…" 

            He reached down towards her. 

            The door split open and Oliver Wood appeared. "Get away from her, Malfoy," he said dangerously. 

            She wanted to cheer but it was a fight just to stay conscious.  

            Malfoy straightened. "We'll fight for her. Man to man." 

            As she faded into darkness, she saw Malfoy drop his wand and move towards Oliver confidently. 


	6. Chapter 6

"Hermoine… Hermoine…" 

            She opened her eyes slowly. Oliver's concerned face swam into view. It broke into a smile of relief as her eyes focused on his. 

            "Oh, thank god… I was worried you'd never come to…" 

            She narrowed her eyes at him. "How do I know you're you?" she asked, struggling to sit up. Across the room, she saw Malfoy lying face down, his wand snapped in two. 

            He hurried to help her. "I…I don't know… you're just going to have to trust me…" 

            A great white shape landed on a nearby nest as Hedwig hooted her approval of him. 

            "Thank you, Hedwig," Oliver replied. Turning to Hermoine, he asked, "Good enough?"

            She nodded, wincing at the pain in her head. 

            He flashed a smile. "Good." Helping her to her feet, he steadied her. "Can you walk?" 

            She let go of his arm, took a few steps, and would have fallen if not for Oliver catching her around the waist. 

            "Alright… wait a moment." He scooped her up and placed her in an unused nest then went over to one of the owls. 

At first she thought it was dead but he waved his hand over it and it morphed into a rucksack. He pulled out his wand and put the pack on his back then came back to Hermoine. "Our ride will be here soon. I'll have to carry you out then." He turned to Malfoy and held out his wand. Ropes snaked around the prone body and tied him securely. Coming back to Hermoine, he scooped her up and levitated Malfoy ahead of them as they left the owlery. 

            From his arms, she saw blast marks left, most probably, by the resistance members, dementors lying scattered around. Two men in dark clothing came towards them and took Malfoy, disappearing into the haze. Oliver continued walking until they were out the south door.

There was a helicopter in the field, its rotors whistling. He started towards it. As they got closer, a man jumped out and came to greet them. 

            "Sir, the servants have been transported along with Malfoy. You're the last… do you want me to take the girl?" he asked, reaching for Hermoine. 

            "No, that's alright…"  He ducked as he climbed in, settling her in his lap after seating himself. 

            The last few resistance fighters got in and it lifted off. 

            She watched the ground fall away as they rose. "Won't they spot us and shoot us down?" she asked. 

            He bent his head towards her. "Pardon?" She repeated and he shook his head. "No, it's been modified to be protected from all magic… in a few moments we'll go silent." 

            "Oh." 

            "Sleep now, you're safe. We'll arrive at the safe home at sunrise…" 

            As the sun rose, its beams danced off the lake and the upper towers of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. 

            Hermoine gasped. 

            _She followed her fellow students into the Great Hall, clutching Ron's hand tightly. "What's going on?" she asked him. _

_            He shook his head. "I dunno…something to do with Voldemort, most likely. There's been rumours he's coming to Hogwarts to finish off all those who oppose him…" _

_            "Attention everyone! Will everyone please listen!" Magonagall called out. _

_"Silence!" Dumbledor bellowed. "Everyone be quiet! This is a grave issue! The North Tower has fallen! Please stay in your house groups. Prefects take your groups out the designated safe exits. Quickly but orderly please. Head boy and girl follow the rest of the teachers please…" _

_Ron turned to Hermoine and kissed her quickly. "Be careful. I love you." He then turned to the frightened Gryffendors looking up at him expectantly. "Alright you lot, follow me!" Casting her a final look of farewell, he left. _

_"I love you too! Be safe yourself!" she called after him. _

_"Hermoine, we have to go," Harry said, pulling her after the teachers and Dumbledor. "He'll be alright." _

_She could see the ruins of the North Tower in the field as another ball of energy hit the roof of the great hall. It shattered and she closed her eyes, praying for Ron's safety. Harry clutched her hand tightly and she looked up. Voldemort and his followers were descending from the sky. _

_"Voldemort, you shall not pass!" Dumbledor exclaimed, raising his wand. _

_"Quiet, you old fool." Voldemort raised his own and Dumbledor was thrown to the side. He hit the wall and crumpled to the ground, motionless._

_One by one, the teachers stood their ground, throwing their charms at him, and one by one they were destroyed. _

_Finally, it was only Harry and Hermoine standing before him. _

_"Hello Harry…" _

_"You won't get the students of our school, Voldemort!" Harry cried defiantly, standing out in front of Hermoine. _

_Voldemort laughed. "You? I think not, Harry Potter… I'm not afraid of you anymore…" He raised his wand. "Out of my way, boy." _

_He was about to curse Harry when a white light hit him in the shoulder and he was knocked to the ground. _

_Harry and Hermoine looked over. Dumbledor was leaning against the wall, his robes tattered and smoking. "Go, children. Get yourselves out!"_

_Hermoine looked at him with tears in her eyes. "But professor…" _

_"GO!" he bellowed. _

_"Come on Hermoine," Harry said with tears in his eyes. "Let's go…" They started off._

_"Potter!" _

_Looking back, they spotted Malfoy step out and face them. _

_"Potter, come back and fight, you coward!" he bellowed. _

_"Ignore him, Harry. Let's go…" She tugged his sleeve. _

_"Potter!" _

_They started running. _

She entered the school in Oliver's arms. It had been restored to its originality but revamped to accommodate the resistance members and freed slaves. "I want to see everything," she said. 

"You need rest. I don't know what Malfoy did to you but you need rest." He went up through the castle to Dumbledor's office. It had been converted to his office/room. The desk was covered in parchments; she spotted a few from herself. 


	7. Chapter 7

She entered the school in Oliver's arms. It had been restored to its originality but revamped to accommodate the resistance members and freed slaves. "I want to see everything," she said. 

"You need rest. I don't know what Malfoy did to you but you need rest." He went up through the castle to Dumbledor's office. It had been converted to his office/room. The desk was covered in parchments; she spotted a few from herself. She could see a couch, covered in blankets and pillows in the sitting room behind the desk. 

"I don't really sleep much," he apologized and moved towards it, shifting her to an upright position while he pulled out his wand. Pointing it, he mumbled a few words. The couch changed into a four-posted canopy bed. Swinging her back into his arms, he went in and deposited her down onto the bed, pulling the covers back and tucking her in. "Sleep. I have some things to take care of but I'll be right through here if you need me." He kissed her on the forehead gently. "You're safe here." 

She nodded but didn't let go of his hand. 

He looked down into her eyes. She was emotionally drained and scared. He couldn't leave her like this. He motioned her to move over and slid into the bed beside her. 

She moved so that her head was in his lap, her arms draped loosely around his waist, and closed her eyes. After a few minutes, she was breathing deeply, asleep. 

He watched her for a few minutes then gently pried himself free, kissing her temple, and went back to the desk, sitting down, watching her sleeping peacefully. His gaze stayed for a few moments then he turned around and started in on his work. 

She woke up just as the sun was sinking. Its rays sparkled on the lake and she watched it for a few moments, remembering her first year when they'd crossed it in the magical skiffs. She's been so excited to be accepted – it had been such an honour. And for what? They hadn't even been able to graduate. She rolled over to see Oliver at the desk, a man standing in front of him, giving a report. 

She felt much better and climbed out of bed. She started towards him and he looked up, hearing her. 

"That'll be all, thanks, Jordie…" he said. "Just leave it on the desk and I'll read it later… thanks…" 

The man nodded and left. 

Oliver stretched out a hand to her. "Feeling better?" 

She nodded and took it. "What are you working on?" 

"Just paperwork. Did you sleep well?" He pulled her towards him and she settled in his lap while he rubbed soothing circles into her back. 

"Yes, thanks." She leaned her head into his shoulder. "What's going to happen now that Malfoy's been captured?"  

"We go after Voldemort himself… Malfoy was the last that we needed in order to find out where Voldemort is." 

She frowned. Something had been bothering her since he'd come to her room in the middle of the night. "Oliver, did you know that Malfoy was in the room when you came to me and told me that you were in Dover?" 

He smiled. "Nothing gets by you, does it Hermoine? Yes. It was a set-up. All of it. I disguised my bag as an owl up in the owlery and then came down to see you. I knew he'd followed you and so it was perfect. Everything happened according to plan. It was a stroke of luck when you came to visit me and he healed me in the cell." 

She closed her eyes. "How could you put yourself into danger like that?" 

"I had to. We had to know who else was on Voldemort's committee. So, I volunteered because I knew it would be perfect to get you and the information out in one go…" 

She looked him in the eye. "That was very dangerous, Oliver." 

He shrugged. "Yes, well, there's not much left in this world that isn't…"  

 She closed her eyes. "Still, you shouldn't have done it. I would have been fine. I'd've found a way out." 

"I know you would've." He kissed her temple. "But I would've been a wreck waiting for you. Felt nice to beat the stuffing out of Malfoy though…" 

She laughed for the first time in a long time. It felt good. She snuggled closer to him and breathed him in. It was a comfortable smell, a woodsy, fresh and clean smell, like just after the rain when you walk through the woods. She sighed. 

His arms tightened around her. "God, Hermione," he breathed, his voice right beside her ear. "You could kill me right now and I'd die a happy man…" 

She smiled into his shoulder. "Oh, Oliver…" 

They sat still for a few moments, revelling in being together and safe. "I'm going to marry you, Hermione." 

She pulled back to look him in the face. "Don't make promises you can't keep, Oliver," she said sadly. 

"I won't, I promise," he replied, a slight smile on his face as he leaned in to kiss her lightly. "But I will marry you." 


	8. Chapter 8

She half-woke to the sound of booted feet and for a moment felt frozen with terror. They had found the castle. They were dragging people out to be lined up and shot. Her breath quickened. They were going to burst into the room any second now and drag Oliver away to be questioned, tortured and killed. She stifled a shriek and all that came out was a small gasp. 

Beside her the covers upheaved and suddenly Oliver was standing in the middle of the room, eyes searching for anything out of ordinary, every line of his body taut and ready for battle. He padded around, checking the closet, the window, the door then came back to the bed. "Hermione? What's wrong?" 

She swallowed her fear, her heart returning to its normal pace. "I'm fine. Just a bad dream. I thought I heard footsteps." 

He rubbed his hands over his face and listened for a moment. "There's nothing," he said finally, reaching out to take her hand gently. "Lie back down. I'll stay up until you fall asleep." 

She snuggled back down against him as he slid into bed and closed her eyes. She was safe… 

She woke again to the sunlight streaming in from the windows and Oliver dressing by the wardrobe. 

"I didn't wake you, did I?" he asked, his brow wrinkling in concern. 

She shook her head sleepily. "No. I should get up anyway." She slid out of bed and put a robe on, walking towards the window. "It looks the exact same yet I know that it's different. It feels as if Harry and Ron are going to zoom by the quidditch pitch at any moment or walk down towards Hagrid's hut… But I know they're gone." She swallowed back her tears. 

He came up behind her and slid his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. "They fought very bravely." 

"I know," she replied softly. "I was there." 

"So was I." 

Oliver watched the death eaters surround The Burrow. He wanted to throw himself into the middle of them, wanted to curse the smirks and sneers off every last one of their faces. But he couldn't. He had to wait for back up. The resistance had just started. They were slow to react to anything. They only had so many people and some things were more important than others. He snorted softly to himself. Whatever excuse they could use to not have to get into danger, they would. He swore to himself when he joined that when, not if, when he was a higher up (and he was going to be, he determined), that would all change. They would be a lot more offensive. None of this defensive garbage. Voldemort was not going to stop. He had to be stopped, pushed back, and destroyed. 

_He looked down and realized that he'd just shredded an entire branch of a tree with his bare hands. He needed to calm down before he did something that would get him caught, or worse, killed. _

_"Voldemort!" _

_He looked up. Harry Potter had stepped out the front door. By Gods, the boy was courageous. Oliver wished that he could be half as much. Time and time again Harry had gone up against Voldemort, and time and time again, he'd triumphed. But luck did run out, even for someone as lucky as Harry. And it looked like now was that time. Maybe not though. As the circle of death eaters closed around Harry and Voldemort, Oliver slid down the bluff, hiding behind the shed. He clenched his jaw. Now was the time that he would show how courageous he could be. He was about to lunge towards the circle, wand raised, the beginnings of a curse on his lips, when a hand grasped his upper arm and yanked him back down. He struggled in their grasp and turned to see Alastor Moody glaring down at him from his one eye. _

_"Now's not the time, boy." _

_Oliver tried to pull himself away but Moody's grip was like steel. "We have to help," he whispered vehemently. _

_"We can't," snapped. "He's lost." _

_"I don't accept that." He clenched his jaw. "We can't just leave him here." _

_"There are two others in the house. You want to wait for Voldemort to kill them too or get them out now?" Moody growled. "You get them, I'll help Potter. Go." He pushed Oliver back and stood up. "Voldemort!" he bellowed. _

_Oliver watched as he stumped towards the circle, hand tightly grasping his wand, back straight. He realized that that was what heroes looked like. Harry Potter, standing still, face pale and drawn but jaw clenched and wand at ready, and Moody, dark and foreboding, battle scarred and battle-weary, coming in as reinforcements. _

_"This is all you have Moody?" Voldemort cackled. "A boy too young to realize the powers at stake and an old man, too old to do any good?" _

_"Young enough for you," Moody growled back. _

_"Very well…" _

_Oliver watched in horror as the three battled. He clenched the dirt hard in his fingers, ripping up clods. But he could do nothing. He had to help whoever was in the Burrow, Ron and Hermione, he assumed. He willed his body to move, willed it to get up run towards the circle and curse Voldemort until he was writhing in pain and covered in his own blood. He breathed deeply. He had to move. Not towards the circle and the mangled bodies of the defeated heroes trying vainly to gain ground on the darkness and failing, but to the house. Had to get Ron and Hermione out. _

_He got up and stumbled towards the side entrance of the house, crashing into the door. He froze for a moment, hoping against hope that none of the death eaters had heard the sound and would come to investigate. He breathed slowly, listening. _

_Nothing. _

_Then he felt it. The feeling of a very strong, very powerful spell about to be unleashed. He ducked down as a shockwave of power echoed in the clearing, the windows above him shattering and showering him with glass. He sat for a few minutes to get the ringing out of his ears and took gulps of the night air. Harry and Moody were dead. He was sure of it. _

_"Weasley!" _

_His head snapped up. That voice. He **hated **that voice. That voice had plagued his nightmares for years. Since the day that father and son had burst in on the Wood family while they were sitting down to dinner. A way of getting to Oliver. He'd been far away, safe, yet he'd heard their screams in his mind. He'd felt their fear, their pain, their death. He could hear the laughter of the Malfoys as they destroyed everything and anything to do with Oliver at all. _

_He stood up and threw himself through the door. Fighting through the dark, stumbling over furniture, he blindly went towards the screaming. Hermione's screaming. Ron's screaming. _

_Silence. _

_He crashed into a wall and stopped, breathing heavily and listening for something. Anything. _

_Nothing. He threw himself through the doorway and surveyed the scene. Ron Weasley was lying on the ground, broken and bloody. Above him was the tall form of Draco Malfoy holding Hermione in one arm, his wand in the other hand. _

"Goodbye, Weasley. Hermione and I will have a wonderful life, if you were wondering at all. But, of course, it won't matter in a few seconds anyway…" His voice was full of malice, his face twisted into a sadistic smile. 

_Ron gurgled and struggled to move, failing miserably. _

_"And so the trio is defeated…" Draco quipped, raising his wand. "__Avada Keda-"_

_"Malfoy!" Oliver yelled. _

_Draco looked up, startled. "You." _

_Oliver straightened and looked him in the eye. "Me." _

_Draco snorted. "Any other ministry whelps with you?" _

_"No." _

_"Well, that is too bad. And I was so looking forward to wiping you all out…" He flicked his wand casually at Ron. "__Avada Kedavra."_

_Oliver lunged. "No!" _

_"Too late. And too late to save the girl as well, Wood. Until next time." One last smirk and he disaparated. _

_Oliver threw himself to Ron's side, already knowing it was too late…He closed his eyes, saying a silent prayer for Ron's spirit then moved to the door to look out. What he saw made him retch. He threw up in the bushes then moved closer to the mangled bodies of Harry Potter and Alastor Moody. They were dead, ripped apart as if by animals. He retched in the bushes nearby again, feeling the sharp metallic taste in his mouth and sank to his knees. _

_What were they going to do?_

"Oliver?" 

He shook his head to clear the memory. "Yes?" 

"I want to see Draco." 


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry about the delay... let me know what you think and any suggestions would be awesome! Thanks! Ciao! Enjoy,

¤ ¤ ¤

Hermione entered the dungeon, Oliver's hand on her back tense and holding her close to him as if Malfoy was about to jump out from the shadows and grab her, ready to disparate. She wasn't afraid of him. He couldn't do anything to her. Nothing. He was harmless and trapped. No magic, no control over her. She glanced around. She could see many of the prisoners lying or sitting in their cells. Some called out in anger, some begging, most silently watching as they went down to the end. She spotted Snape lounging on a bench in his own cell next to Malfoy's, watching them carefully. He returned her gaze with a scowl and a glare. She wanted to stick her tongue out at him, to tell him that he should never have chosen to defect back to the Dark Lord. Instead, she returned his gaze steadily, passing on.   
  
She wondered what it felt like, knowing you'd lost, knowing it was over for you. That you were on the wrong side. That the war was coming to a close and you had made the biggest mistake. She shook her head. She couldn't be too confident in their victory, no matter what Oliver and the others said. Muggle history proved that. The Germans had thought they were so close to victory and then were smashed back. But it's different, a voice in her head replied. They were evil. We are fighting for good...She shook her head. It didn't matter. Ego and confidence was the same, no matter what side you fought for.   
  
They came to Malfoy's cell and she stopped just out of reach.   
  
Oliver's hand found hers and squeezed gently.   
  
"Aw, look at the golden couple..." Malfoy sneered.   
  
Oliver bristled beside her but she shrugged the comment off. "You are like an injured animal, Malfoy. Nothing you say now will help you. You are finished."   
  
"You have no idea what you are up against, Hermione. You should have joined me when you had the chance. Voldemort found this place once. What's to stop him from finding it again?" He laughed. "You will fail."   
  
"Don't be so cliché, Malfoy. Voldemort will fall. It's just a matter of time. What I want to know is any information you can give us..."   
  
Malfoy glanced at Oliver then over to Snape's cell. "And why would I tell you that, my darling?"   
  
Hermione felt Oliver flinch beside her and turned to him. "Oliver, I need to speak to him alone... please," she added before he could protest. "The guards are more than enough help even if Malfoy were to get out. Don't worry about me, Oliver. I'll be fine. He's never going to tell you anything if you're here. You're a threat to him..."   
  
He nodded, throwing a venomous look at Malfoy. "If anything should happen to you..." He touched her cheek gently.   
  
"Don't worry, your princess is safe from me..." Malfoy cut in snidely.   
  
"I'll be back in an hour," she said.   
  
Then he was gone and she was left alone with Malfoy and Snape.   
  
"I suppose you've come to gloat..." Malfoy spat.   
  
She shook her head. "No, there's nothing to gloat about. We haven't won anything yet. The war is still coming. I just want to ask you some questions."   
  
"Questions?"   
  
Snape stirred from his bench and came to the bars, resting his arms on them lightly. "Miss Granger, do you really think you can save this world with the help of that Quidditch oaf..."   
  
She gritted her teeth. There was no way that she would let someone like Snape prod her into anger. "I want to ask you some questions," she repeated stubbornly to Malfoy.   
  
He lay down on his bench and folded his hands behind his head. "Ask away..."   
  
"Do you know the size of the army that Voldemort has massed?" she asked, studying him.   
  
He shrugged. "How would I know that?"   
  
"You're his right-handed man!" she cried, exasperated.   
  
He shrugged again. "They've already questioned me, Hermione. I've already told them all that I know..."   
  
"All that you wanted to tell them, you mean?" she replied with a trace of a growl. Behind her, she could hear Snape chuckle. "Why won't you help us, Malfoy?" She was almost in tears. "If Voldemort wins then life will continue on to be terrible!" She felt twelve again, a small, helpless child. "Please."   
  
He stared at her in stony silence.   
  
She bit her lip. This was useless. Honestly, how could she have thought that a slimy git like Malfoy would ever help her? He had no heart. He didn't feel remorse for killing Muggles. He didn't care at all... "Fine. Then you're condemned, like the rest of them." She stood up and started off. She was almost at the door when he called her back,   
  
"Come back Hermione. I'll tell you what you want to know..."

¤ ¤ ¤  
  
She mulled over the information that Malfoy had given her. Ten thousand ogres, one thousand dementors... Voldemort had massed a huge army. And he wasn't going to be destroyed this time. This time would be the last. No one would survive. A fight to the death. She had to tell Oliver. She hurried off.


	10. Chapter 10

Note: Okay, okay, sorry for the looooooong wait… here it is, if anyone is left to read it? Crickets… ah, well… enjoy!

¤ ¤ ¤

"And so you must rally the resistance. This is the last chance Voldemort has of wiping us out." Oliver slammed his hand down on the table, leaning towards the council.

They looked at him stonily. "And what proof do you have, beside this man's word, that this information is true?"

"Yes," added a woman in spectacles. "And how certain would you say this man's word is? Could he be lying to you?"

Oliver swallowed hard then exhaled slowly, trying to rein himself in. "I have no certainties beyond my own instincts. But the worst thing that could happen would be that we would be too prepared. And what's the wrong with that?" he challenged.

The council surveyed him silently, weighing the options, then looked at each other.

"Sit down, Wood. We're going to need more substantial evidence," one said, the woman in spectacles.

"Yes, I'm sorry, but the word of a criminal just isn't enough," added another, a short portly man with a long white beard.

He glared at them. "How can that be your answer? How can you believe that you are completely safe here? Voldemort found and broke into Hogwarts once before and killed the most powerful wizard of the time, Albus Dumbledor, in seconds and now you have the chance to be prepared for the second attack and you will DO NOTHING?" he bellowed the last while jumping to his feet, unable to contain himself. "How can you just sit there and refuse to act? Won't you learn?"

"Wood! You will contain yourself! This council must take into account the safety of the people within these walls. We cannot just make hundreds take up arms and go marching out into a possible ambush. We need more evidence and that is final. Until then, we must simply barricade ourselves in and hope for the best. Hogwarts is strong and able to withstand an attack."

"Hope for the best?" Oliver spat back, almost laughing. "Hope for the best? You are going to get all these people killed if you do nothing. Women and children will die along with the rest if you simply sit here and wait for Voldemort to sweep down and destroy everyone. Fine. You will have your evidence." He stalked out of the room.

¤ ¤ ¤

Hermione found him packing a rucksack later that evening, stuffing things in roughly. "Where are you going?"

"If the council won't believe me then I'll go after Voldemort myself and get them their bloody proof." He clipped the bag together and threw it over his shoulder.

Hermione just stood in front of him, stunned.

He turned to grab his wand off the side table and turned back. She hadn't moved. "I have to do this, Hermione."

"Are you mad? Are you BLOODY MAD?" she screamed at him. "You'll die out there, Oliver! Voldemort has an army. An army that he's going to bring about against this castle. If you go to him, you'll just die all the faster. This isn't like going up against Malfoy. You can't just trick your way out of this one. Voldemort will kill you." She hit him in the chest. "He'll KILL YOU! This isn't a game, Oliver. You could die and I don't know what I would do if you did." She was crying now, tears dripping down her cheeks.

He caught hold of her upper arms, wanting to shake her. "Hermione, stop it. You have to be stronger than this. I have to do this to help more than just us. I can't be selfish anymore and hide behind these walls with you because it's safe. He's going to come here and he's going to kill people. And if I can help stop it, well, then that's what I have to do."

She shook her head. "There has to be another way, Oliver. Something else we can do…"

He turned to grab his cloak. "No, Hermione. No one else believes me so no one else will go. It has to be me." He turned back to find an identical look of determination on her face.

"Well, then I'm going with you… don't even try to tell me no," she rushed on as he started to protest. "I've made up my mind and you can't stop me. You know how stubborn I am so don't even try."

His turn to shake his head. "Forget it, Hermione. Not this time… I won't let you."

"Oliver-"

"No." He stood firm. "No, Hermione. This time I won't let you put yourself into danger. It's bad enough that I'll be out there risking everything. I don't want you out there too."

"If I go with you-" she started.

"Then all I will think about is you and worrying about you and I won't be any good to either of us." He took grasped her shoulders. "If something happens out there, I want to be able to be happy knowing that at least you have a chance. If something happens then I will feel better knowing you are going to be fine, or as fine as someone can be in times like these…" He kissed her, hard. "I won't lose you too, I won't."

She was crying hard now, shaking silently. "Oliver…"

He hugged her, holding her as close as he could, feeling, for maybe the last time, what it felt like to hold her in his arms, then kissed her fiercely. Then he let go, pushing her away gently. "I love you."

"Just come back."

¤ ¤ ¤

He treaded down the stairs to the dungeon as quietly as he could and found himself at Draco's cell for what he hoped was the last time. "Alright Malfoy. Tell me where he is."

"You going to go slay the dragon for your lady fair?" Malfoy sneered. "Get all the glory of destroying the Dark Lord for yourself?"

Oliver stared him down with a level gaze. "I need to know where Voldemort's army is," he repeated steadily. "Just tell me where he is."

Malfoy smirked. "Why should I tell you?"

"Because you don't have a reason not to. It's over, Malfoy. You've lost the battle."

"Bring me Granger then maybe I'll tell her."

Oliver's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"Because I'm bored down here and I'd like someone of my own intelligence level to discuss with, you Quidditch lunk. If I'm satisfied then maybe I'll tell her and she can run and tell you. But I'll only tell her."

"Are you mad? No way I'm bringing her back down here for you to harass. Forget it."

"Forget the location then." Malfoy settled back down in his cell, arms stretching above and clasping behind his head. "I have all the time in the world. Have you?"

¤ ¤ ¤

"Tell me Malfoy. Tell me where it is."

He peered through the flickering torchlight. "Granger?"

"Yes Draco." She stepped from the shadows. "Please tell me."

He laughed dryly. "If you're trying to be seductive, Hermione, forget it. It won't work on me."

She came closer to the bars. "What else do you want then?"

"Talk to me."

She stared at him and he stared back.

"What do you want me to say?"

"Anything. Dazzle me with your wit and your intelligence."

She snorted. "I hate when people say that. No one ever has anything to say when someone asks that. You can't just start a conversation on cue."

He smiled. "There's my little spitfire, Granger."

"I'm not your little anything, Malfoy," she spat back. "I'm just here to get information."

He leaned back against the wall. "You'll have to work for that information, dear Hermione. I won't give Wood that information without a bit of a fight, any way I can… and if the only thing I can piss him off with is by taking time with you away."

She set her jaw. "There's nothing you can do to bother me or Oliver, Malfoy. You're going to lose."

He smirked. "Not if I don't tell you where Voldemort and his army is."

She closed her eyes. "Don't be a git, Draco."

"I can be whatever I want," he replied sounding exactly like a spoiled child. "I'm not the one on a deadline."

"Come on, Draco."

"Tell me something, Hermione. Tell me about your summers at home. Tell me about Muggles."

She stared at him, mystified. "Why would you want to know about that?"

"I want to know about you. _You_ interest me."

So, she sat down and for the next two hours, Malfoy learned about the Muggle world and dentists and clubs and cars.

She walked back up to her room with a full set of instruction as to where Voldemort was and where the sentries and ranks of his army were.

Oliver was waiting, pacing the room. He stopped when she entered, looked her over to make sure that Malfoy had done nothing to her, then pulled her into his arms. "Thank you for doing that."

She sniffled into his chest. "N-no problem…" After clinging to him for a few minutes, she pulled away and went to the desk to write out the instructions on the back of a map, drawing where he had to go.

He came up beside her. "You're sure. You're sure this is where Voldemort is. This-" He pointed into the mountains. "-is where I have to go."

She nodded, brushing hair behind her ears. "Yes, that's what he told me and he has no reason to lie anymore. He knows he's beaten." She paused. "I don't think Draco's that bad, Oliver. He's just been brought up that way. Maybe-"

"No, Hermione," he cut in gently. "You mustn't forget what he is. He's a Malfoy through and through."

"I know… it's just… well, I dunno…"

He slid an arm around her waist. "I know but wishes won't change who he is and what he's done. Now-" he rolled up the map and slid it into a pocket of his cloak. "-I have to go. I'll have to go on foot so they can't see me coming. I'll be back." He hugged her, kissed her hard, then left, the door closing softly behind him.

Hermione sat down on the bed and burst into tears.

Down in the dungeons, Draco Malfoy laughed.


	11. Chapter 11

Oliver crept over the frozen tundra. It had taken him two days to get up here. He was close. So close. He just prayed that they hadn't already left. He crept to the edge of the cliff and slowly peered over. What he saw was completely shocking yet at the same time, not at all…

¤ ¤ ¤

Oliver ran full tilt down the hallways, bursting through the dust clouds, hurdling over chunks of rock. Parts of the wall had fallen in from the first attack on Hogwarts. Still more debris was raining down. The second attack had begun.

He'd _lied_.

Malfoy had _bloody_ lied.

And Hermione had believed him.

And Oliver had let it slide because he wanted to believe because she'd believed. But he'd been wrong, she'd been wrong. And now he had to find her before she died. Or worse, disappeared forever.

¤ ¤ ¤

Hermione crept quietly into the dungeon, wondering if they were out already, hoping against hope that the magic had held. The castle rocked with another explosion and she prayed that the resistance was still holding them off… She passed empty cell after empty cell, dread filling her. They were gone. They were in the castle. They were going to kill people. Lots of people. Malfoy's cell door hung drunkenly on one hinge, mocking her. He was out. She would have to find him, have to get to him before he got to Oliver and she would have to kill him before he killed Oliver. Because he wouldn't stop until Oliver Wood's body was at his feet. And it wouldn't be a quick, painless death. It would be slow and painful. She clenched her teeth. Well, she could change that. Spinning on her heel, she stopped, then stumbled back.

Draco Malfoy was standing four feet away, a scornful look on his face. "Hermione Granger, how could you have been so stupid as to overlook that one simple detail? Silly little Mudblood."

Her eyes darted around, searching for the others but all that was in the dungeon with them was shadows and emptiness.

"They're not here. No one is here except you and me." He had the air of a predator licking its chops at the sight of a cornered prey.

She raised her arm, "Ex-"

"No." He flicked his wand casually, blocking her.

She judged the distance between them, had time for a split-second thought then raised it again. "Imp-" She knew she wouldn't have time to get it out before he blocked it but it was all she needed. She threw herself at him, hoping to throw him off balance and get around him to escape.

She didn't count on his reflexes though, as he caught her around the waist and threw her back. "Now, now, Hermione. None of that. We need to talk."

She hit the floor hard and slid a few feet before jumping back to her feet.

He eyed her with a look of triumph and a bit of approval. "I'm glad you're fighting. I wouldn't want to win you without a fight. But I think it's time we left." He started towards her.

She threw herself backwards into his recently vacated cell and shouted, "Reparo." The door swung shut with a heavy clang. "I'm not going anywhere with you, Malfoy," she spat at him.

He snarled and raised his wand. "You'll come if I have to tear this whole castle apart to bring you. Diffendo!"

But the cell door refused to open. He grabbed the bars and shook the door. It still refused him entry to his prize.

He growled. "What in the hell have you done to it, Granger?!"

She smirked. "It's the castle. Its magic is old. Strong. Stronger than you."

She slid down the wall, keeping sure to be out of reach. There was silence as she tried to think of another way. Finally she asked, "Why, Mal- Draco? Why are you helping him win? It isn't going to do you any good if he does. You'll still be under the control of another. First it was your father and now Voldemort? When will you be your own person, Draco?"

He laughed, without mirth. "Your mind games won't work on me, Hermione. I won't change. I am and always will be a power-hungry, cold, emotionless bastard. Isn't that what you told me back in sixth year? Now, if you're going to be in there for awhile, I might as well find your knight in shining armour for a little chat…" He turned on his heel.

"No, Draco no! Don't hurt him! Don't you dare!" she screamed after him.

"Oh, don't worry, dear Hermione, you'll see him before the end…"

¤ ¤ ¤

Oliver slammed through the door but found their room empty. _But then where…? _He shook his head. What an idiot… of course Hermione wouldn't be up here hiding from the enemy. She'd be trying to stifle the very source. She'd be trying to take down the most powerful, the most dangerous… _Malfoy_. He turned. She'd have gone down to the dungeons to take on Malfoy and Snape and all the rest of the prisoners. _Oh Hermione, why do you have to be so righteous. You're going to get yourself bloody killed!_ He bolted from the room.

He burst into the dungeon to see Hermione sitting in the back cell, Malfoy's cell, the door decidedly shut. "Hermione!" He started forward, reaching into his tunic for the keys he always kept.

"It's a trap! Duck!" she screamed.

He ducked and rolled to the side as a bolt of energy sizzled into the door beside him. The keys skittered from his grasp and fell among the rubble.

Malfoy came out of the shadows. "Saved again by a girl. When are you going to stand up and fight for yourself, Wood?"

Oliver stood and drew himself to his full height, a few inches taller than Malfoy. "Right now."

They threw themselves at each other, curses flying all over the place.

Hermione ducked down, trying to avoid being hit. She gritted her teeth. Okay, so it had started out as a good idea jumping into the cell but now she was trapped, stuck, and unable to help Oliver at all. She spied the keys but after a faint flicker of hope, sat back down. They were too far. There was no way she would be able to reach them. She raised her hands in despair and realized she was still clutching her wand. "Accio keys!"

Draco, realizing what she was doing, lunged for the keys, throwing Oliver out of the way, but missed the keys by a breath.

Oliver crashed into the wall and did not get up.

The keys flew into Hermione's hands and she brandished them triumphantly, matching Draco glare for glare.

He turned back towards Oliver's still form, wand raised. "Care to try your luck, Granger?"

¤ ¤ ¤


End file.
